Bloodsport Fairytale

Prologue

Glass shattered against
the far side of the room. Nadia didn't look out from the table she
was hiding under. Next to her, Aidan shook violently. Unconsciously,
she put an arm around her little brother to steady him and quiet his
sobs. His hair was long, she noted numbly. She would have to cut it
again soon. Hers was almost to her waist, but that was okay. She
wanted it long.

A startled cry and a thud
sounded from somewhere in the hall and Aidan started shaking again.
Nadia could hear her mother crying out apologies.

"Why?" He
wondered out loud. His tone didn't sound like it was looking for an
answer, so Nadia didn't even attempt one. It was beyond her eight
year-old mind to know why people were so violent.

"Hush," she said
instead, hugging her twin brother close to her. It'll
be over soon.
Above them, something else broke. A piece of paper fluttered to the
floor, landing blank side up. Nadia darted her hand out and snatched
it up quickly before anyone could notice.

It was an old family photo
from that one time they took a trip down to the lake. Her eyes were
drawn to her bright smiling face. Next to her, her little brother
beamed. Although he was only a minute younger, he was so much smaller
than her. That didn't stop him from getting into all kinds of
trouble, thinking he was invincible. Things were better back then. No
one yelled. Nothing was broken. Now…

Something else shattered
down the hall, and a door slammed. More crying, but it was muffled
this time. Somewhere in her mind, a word came through, clear as a
bell: safe.

She took her brother's
hand in hers and crawled out from under the kitchen table. A piercing
pain sliced her palm and she drew back. A streak of red remained on
the tile floor. Around them, ceramic shards littered the floor. In
her mind, Nadia made a note to get more dishware. Maybe something
plastic next time.

Carefully, she guided her
brother out and sat him down at the table.

"Here," she
pushed a plate towards him, "eat this."

"What about you?"
he asked, a spark of concern lighting up his previously numb eyes.

She smiled gently,
ignoring the stabs of hunger in her stomach, and pat him on the head.

"I can eat later,"
she promised automatically, "but I need to clean up now."

Aidan looked like he might
protest, but quietly took a forkful of food instead.

Nadia glanced around at
the mess that surrounded them: the shards on the floor, the cracked
brown bottles, the precious little food they had, now laying wasted
on the ground or splattered across the walls.

Lauren Suzmeyan-Raine:
I'm so glad you found a place to post your stories. I was horrified when I saw yours had been taken down, they are definitely the best 'reading' stories I've ever read. And I've made it my business to read every one I can. Well done.Lauren

John Reed:
Seadrias masterfully captures the impressiveness and complex scope that a science fiction novel should provide while carefully crafting an entire universe that will leave a reader in awe from start to finish. The only flaw I could find is that I wish I could have read more. This book is certainly...

JWalker:
I loved this story from start to finish! It flows at a really nice pace and the story world feels so real. The fight sequences are a treat especially when Isanfyre is training to become a warrior. I found the names really cool and thankfully easy to pronounce. Personally I have always struggled w...

summerstone:
Seriously this is one of the best books I've ever read. The plot is intriguing, I love the narrative style. Its very descriptive and unique, with minimal cliches. It makes for a great read and the sequels are amazing. Totally worth reading. ^^ That's me trying to be professional. But in all hones...

ernbelle:
When I first started this story I was a little unsettled by all of the information that appears in the prologue, and wasn't sure if I would continue. However, I am very glad I did. The plot was very well thought out and really interesting. There were not any page breaks or markers to acknowledge ...

Usagi Kita:
This story is emotional from beginning to end. You get to watch the characters struggle and grow, maturing in different ways so that they come to be the people they are meant to be. Inea is insanely adorable, and his antics made me laugh more than once, and Kaedon is perfect for him in so many wa...

Nate_L:
This story is amazing. The style, the description, it all drags you in. The characters are mostly the well known characters from King Arthur. There's Merlin, the sword: Excalibur. I recommend reading this through, at least a little, as it's a very satisfying read. I added it to my reading list af...

Felisa Yoder Osburn:
I really enjoyed the story. Civil War stories are some of my favorites and the intertwining of the past with current times was wonderful. I look forward to reading the next stories.

Charlie_8472:
Recommended to me by a friend, I thought I'd give this a read. As a hobbyist blacksmith, the blurb certainly caught my attention. I found the sentence about them drinking, dancing and fighting a strange combination of activities, perhaps a reflection of the writer’s personality and humour. Howeve...

Schaelz:
I was intrigued from the second I started reading, and it kept my interest the whole way through. Chelsea has a way with words that will enchant you until the very end. She is very poetic with the way she mixes genres and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The main character is also very relat...